TOKYO (Kyodo) — Sony Group Corp. said Thursday it will stop selling its iconic aibo dog robot in Japan once stocks run out, as part of a « review » to optimize the company’s future business services.

Sony will continue to offer necessary services, including providing replacement parts and repairs, while continuing to market the interactive, artificial intelligence-equipped pet robot in the United States.

The current aibo can be connected to a cloud service. It was launched in 2018, reviving the robot that debuted in 1999 and was later discontinued. Sony has not disclosed how many units have been sold so far.

The dog robot has won the hearts of people who cannot keep pets as well as seniors in Japan, one of the world’s fastest-aging societies.